Samurai Jack and the Land of Bushido
by Thegreatestthereeverwillbe
Summary: Samurai Jack encounters the Land of Bushido, a land where Samurai culture still thrives. However, when opposition and corruption find themselves in Bushido Jack is embroiled in a clash between his heritage and his quest.
1. Episode I: The Land of Zhou

**Jack and the Land of Bushido**

Episode I: The Land of Zhou

The sun burned the glistening sands as they shone brightly in the midday sun. Scorpions failed to escape their shelters from the heat of the sun on this particularly hot day. Traders, whose training includes desert survival, decided to drink their own water which they would sell for an otherwise inexcusably high profit margin, rather than sit in the sun for an additional minute. Yet, despite the brightness of the sky and the clarity of the air, the all seeing eye of Aku was blind. It has been years since the Samurai has come from the distant past. The times have changed, the political air was thicker than Aku had anticipated in eons. Those who would bow at the sight of a shadow remotely similar to his, only to find that it was a monument of his, or even perhaps a tree, had grown to speak of him as if he were their old schoolmate. Provinces who would pay taxes and fees years in advance with exorbitant extras to show their loyalty, began sending IOUs. Aku's empire was crumbling, and Aku could do nothing to stop it. His ultimate show of force, his massive droid army, failed to stop one man, one rebel, whose technique and armor were as old and as extinct as Aku's reign itself, despite having a negligible fraction of Aku's experience and omnipotence. This was by far the greatest insult Aku has faced. The thorn at his side since he first emerged in that age long past had become the wound in his liver, and there was no doctor to stitch him. As Aku helplessly watched his Dominion slip, he saw that which demanded his attention.

Aku had his eye on this land for several years. As soon as the Samurai came from the past, the province of Zhou took note. Zhou is located far east of Aku City, where at one time great beacons of industry and commerce aligned themselves along a road of silk and honey. To this day, this area attracts a great number of businesses and traders. But beneath this culture of money and exchange existed a deeper root. One which stems from honor, discipline, integrity, and glory. This was the code of Bushido, whose adherents were once called Samurai. Now the Samurai are long dead, save one who escaped death's natural time. However, their sons still remember their fathers' teachings and their creed, and they will do justice by their ancestors at the very least by supporting he who would have been their ancestor. When the Samurai drew his flag in defence of canines and men, a similar flag flew over their temple. When ordered to bring it down by Lord Yuanzhang, the inexperienced youths rallied to the flag in their father's armour and wielding their father's swords, giving the impression of loyalty and determination, an impression Lord Yuanzhang was not prepared to trifle with. Immediately, Lord Yuanzhang himself stepped into the temple unarmed and humbled himself before their master, and thus a deal was struck. The flag would fly at half mast, in exchange for yearly financing from the province to the temple. Aku was barely satisfied, and since the Incident of the Flag, Aku never let the province far from his sight. Now, four years after the incident, the temple has grown tired of the financing. It was simply not enough any more. Master Musashi stood before his adherents on this devestatingly sweaty day and said:

'Fellow Bushido, Citizenry, and ancestors, hear me: This day, I declare this temple to be more than a place of worship and study. This day this temple becomes the seat of government for the State of Bushido. The law of the land shall be Bushido. The culture of the land shall be Bushdio. May the enemy come forth and face our swords!'

A roar of independence and pride emerged from the crowd. 'The state of Bushido is everlasting! The state of Bushido is everlasting! The state of Bushido is everlasting!'

Musashi returned to his quarters, and resumed eating his boiled noodles, entertained by the sound of support and the cheers of identity.

Moments after this outrageous secession from Aku's dominion, Aku summoned Lord Yuanzhang via hologram:

'Yuanzhang you worthless worm!' Aku screamed 'What is it that I pay you for you slit eyed scum!?'

'F-Forgive me my lord, I mean no disrespect I-'

'You promised me that you would hold Zhou if I would pay you the agreed upon sum.'

'Y-yes, b-'

'Then explain to me why it is in the hands of the very ones you swore to contain!'

'M-M-My Lord, they asked for tribute! I- I could only delay the inevitable!'

'And so you finance their Mithril seeking expedition!?'

'They were going to kill me!'

'Do you not fear the wrath of Aku more than that of a few villagers!?'

'If those villagers wield Mithril, then yes.' Interrupted Master Musashi.

'What insolent fool would defy Aku!?' Aku boasted

'One who wields a steel that can harm your evil.'

Aku groaned in agony as his weakness was finally pressurized.

'You have let Lord Yuanzhang live in opulence over us, forced the hungry to seek refuge in the shadow of his towering palaces, but now his financing has dwindled, as did your power, now his money is mine, and you are checkmated.'

'Do not underestimate me you un-groomed savage, for my droids may not match the skill of a man worthy of his weapon, but they will cut through you like the tracing paper you are, imitating samurai when in fact you are nothing but vermin casting a shadow worth more than your own blood! Now prepare for your destruction!'

Then, immediately after Aku terminated the call, the ground began to shake. Buildings shuddered, drinks shook, windows shattered, and rocks vibrated as Aku's droid army grew closer and closer. Master Musashi raced back to the temple and readied his men for a fight. They strapped on their armour, rehearsed their techniques, and prepared to fight. Hours later, the shakes grew into tremors, and finally earthquakes that would break the Richter scale itself. It was a surprise that the temple did not fall onto the Bushido where they meditated. The flag was now hoisted fully, waving in the blistering heat. 'With me!' Cried Master Musashi as he rallied the men into the open fields of the city. They numbered nearly one hundred, and so they formed themselves into a triple lined sphere, knowing that they would be surrounded and wisely avoiding the full throttle of an ambush. Each man drew his sword and had himself poised forward, bending their knees, closing their eyes, prepared to fight to the death. Although their armour and stance made them look fierce, in reality, they were nothing more than actors pretending to be samurai. The droids came in from the east, where several provinces donated them on orders from their master. The droids made six lines, each line consisting of thrice the number of men in the Bushido's ranks. Vastly outnumbered, Musashi patiently awaited the droids to strike first that he may react and adopt a more comprehensible and suitable strategy. But what strategy can defeat Aku's Beatle Droid MKVI? The Beatle Droid is Aku's most used droid. Jack faced them once before, and had to summon his inner strength to defeat them in defence of the talking canines who first lead him onto his perilous, and perhaps futile, quest. The Beatle Droid was designed to look fearsome. It had razor sharp 'teeth' whose purpose was to not only look menacing but to deflect and destroy any projectile. They had six windowed eyes that rotated 360 degrees, eliminating any element of visual surprise the Bushido may have had. They had wings that retracted into their backs allowing them to fly and cover great distances at speed. They had all-terrain wheels that tucked into their chests which are fitted with propeller systems that also tuck away into the chest, allowing them to traverse any obstacle before them, land, air, or sea. Despite these impressive features, they are sometimes deployed into battle deliberately on 'foot' in order to demoralize their target, as done with the Bushido. These six 'feet' were about six centimeters in width and 50 cm in length. Despite its small width, each of them was able to act as a razor sharp blade capable of piercing the thickest and most comprehensive of armour, and another weapon. Each droid had its own unique weapon design. For example, droid AK671's right top foot also concealed a rail gun, capable of targeting specific weaknesses in artillery or construction that could devastate the whole. Its right mid foot concealed a plasma repeater, which worked similarly to an assault rifle, but needed no reloading, only cooling, and with efficient management of fire, not even that, and instead of bullets it fired plasma bolts which are able to melt the greatest of metals. It's two bottom legs were deliberately designed to be thicker and more durable because in the particular case of AK671, being an upgraded droid from the MKV, it had no bottom weapons, but instead had a super-heavy weapon in its chest. Its left mid foot concealed a standard issue railgun with 2,000 bullets, and its top left foot concealed a laser that charged up for two seconds and on the third released a massive bolt of energy comparable to a rocket. In its chest, however, there existed a rare weapon, a Wraith Carbine, which shot a slow moving, yet thick and fat wave of blue plasma that exploded on impact capable of killing up to 150 hostiles if fired at a group, and wounding over 500 more. All this was the case for one of the many thousands of beetle droids, and the hundreds surrounding the Bushido.

The droids continued marching around the Bushido even after surrounding them. Until suddenly they old stopped in place, and one stood, towering before them, casting his dominant shadow before them.

'You have been charged with treason' said the droid in a particularly frightening, riveting, robotic voice. Musashi felt his chest ache from the vibration caused by its deep voice. 'How do you plead?' There was a dead silence. The Bushido all know the famous tale of Samurai Jack's First Fight against the Beetle Drones MKIV. Despite their modifications, many believed that samurai skill and bravado would outmatch their advanced technology. At least one youth from the third line did. He heard how fast and how nimble Jack was. He heard the stories of how he would leap into the air, eclipsing the sun itself, and rain down death upon the droids with his sword causing the remaining droids to flee. Without orders, the poor boy jumped up into the air, eclipsing the sun almost as well as Jack did. Some thought that this boy would actually deal the first strike. Before he could even see his shadow over the droids, the droid that spoke to Musashi MK644's head opened, revealing a railgun that split the poor boy into two. Without hesitation and according to protocol and code, the remaining droids all swarmed the Bushido simultaneously, unlike the flawed MKIV's who would attack only three or four at a time almost eliminating their number advantage. The Bushido stood no chance. Those who were in the front lines were almost immediately destroyed. The few that lived past the first few seconds managed to block one deadly swing of their feet before being absolutely mauled by another swing. Taking advantage of the sacrifice of the first line, the second managed to harm a few droids. One Bushido saw his brother die in the front lines. In rage he raced up to the murderous droid and sliced off two of its feet before being hit by the plasma bolts of MK671. The boy suffered fourth degree burns to his hips, legs, and back. Unable to move because of the pain, the same droid he once thought was his for the taking swung its blade into his head, plucking it out entirely. The third line was all that was left now. Capitalizing on the defence of their forward brethren, they thought to vary their approach. Instead of the bewilderment a biological foe may feel, this computerized opponent countered their offensive one Bushido at a time. Those that jumped were either sliced into two, or fired upon mercilessly. Those that attempted to slide beneath the droids were at first ignored, but when they turned to slice at them they found nothing but the air, and from the air flying droids struck at them with a vengeance. Some were sliced apart methodically using the hottest of lasers. Others were not granted such a civilized butchery, and were instead ripped apart by the droids bottom legs. Finally, those that charged forward were simply shot at using bullet, plasma, or a combination of both. The result was a crushing defeat worse than the Battle of Shiroyama. Once all the Bushido lay dead, the droids surrounded Musashi.

'If you will kill me' he coughed bloodily, 'let me end myself in a way that pleases my ancestors.'

The droid simply said 'Seize him.' Three droids, especially fitted with chains inside their chests for this purpose, chains Musashi and strung him up on the vertical side of a plateau nearby. Leaving twenty five droids to ensure Musashi does not escape, the remaining droids sacked the temple, leaving nothing but the ashes and the remains of failed construction. Meanwhile, the twenty five droids enjoyed torturing Musashi even further. One droid fired a specially designed Muscle-contractor, which temporarily paralyzed the target. Another fired a senses amplifier, that increased his feeling of shame, defeat, sorrow, and his ability to feel pain. A third began destroying the ancient armour he wore on his back. The pain was amplified because he wanted so desperately to at least verbally defend his honour, but he was simply unable to do so. Finally a fourth unveiled its concealed chainsaw and took its time in dissecting Musashi. It began with his balls, and worked its way to his penis, seven of his toes, sparing his big toes and his left middle toe, completely removed his right arm, and began abusing him sexually by rapidly sawing his anus. Simultaneously a fourth droid did not grant him the satisfaction of seeing in what state of ruin they would leave his temple, instead, it used its laser to blind him permanently. The remaining droids took their liberty in scarring his torso and what was left of his body, as other droids began healing him uncontrollably, making it impossible for him to die. When it was all over Musashi was slammed into the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.

The droids then left, having completed their mission. Musashi lay on the hot sand. He did not care for what damage the heat could do to him, in fact he wished to be reunited with his fallen men. He lay there without food or drink for two days, discarded like garbage. Finally, the townsfolk found the courage to step out of their homes, only to find what little remained of Musashi. Many found themselves kneeling before his would be corpse, sharing in his defeat, and mourning his losses. One of these townsfolk, a woman by the name of Olga Musha. Olga had applied to join the Bushido many times in the past, but was never accepted not for her lack of skill, but because of her gender. She was a young girl, only sixteen. Her father forbade her from fighting alongside Musashi, rightly fearing her death. Olga was tall, had long blonde-dyed hair normally tied in a bun, red lips, a white powdered face, wore long samurai like robes, had a small pointed nose, flush red lips, slightly curved dark brown eyes, but was quite muscular, capable of fighting and defeating the fiercest of men, yet her womanly touch and whisper were not lost with training. 'Back away!' Back away!' She cried racing towards Musashi. It was only her voice that got him to kneel, rather than await death.

'W-What have they done to you!?' She said to him, Musashi cried and spat out 'Oh if only I could tell what they did to my village!' She embraced him, hugged him like a lover would hug their beloved at the time of passing. After moments in the sand together, she insisted that he come with her to her home. He refused at first, but when she carried him on her back he was in no position to argue. Olga kicked the door into her home and placed the half dead Musashi on their couch. Already his wounds began to bleed again. 'Quickly! Quickly! Bring me some water!' She commanded as she tended to Musashi's wounds. Once the bleeding was more or less contained, she began to help Musashi drink the water. 'Thank you, my child.' 'The Bushido are not defeated so easily.' She winked at him, and pressed her hand into what was left of his.

The weeks flew by quickly, and Musashi was getting used to his condition. Musashi began regretting never letting her into the Bushido, but also realized that if he had allowed her entry, she would be in a grave now, possibly next to his. The two began a close relationship of interdependence. Musashi taught her discipline, honour, bravery, and strength, while she cared for his every need. The two were literally inseparable. When he ate, she fed him. When he drank, she helped him. When he pissed she guided him. When he slept, she was next to him. Musashi became the father she never had, having loathed her father for leaving her mother, and running from her mother to save her the costs of caring for her, given that she was poorer than the poorest peasant in Zhou. She grew from being a woman with a desire and a sword, to a Bushido in the making, and he grew from a piece of meat in the sand to Master Musashi once again. Then, at the precise moment when it was most inopportune, a the door was knocked thrice.


	2. Episode II: The Land of Bushido

**Jack and the Land of Bushido**

 **Episode II: The Land of Bushido**

'Knock Knock Knock'

There was no response.

'KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK'

Still there was no response

'In the name of Aku and in the name of the state, I command you to open this door immediately.'

'What will we do?' Asked a ready, yet quivering, Olga. 'Fear not' counselled Musashi 'they shall not raid our home.'

'We know you're in there Mrs. Musha, and we know you are harbouring the fugitive Musashi. Open the door this instant! We shall not ask again.'

Olga stood up from beneath the table inside the kitchen storage room and made for the door, but before she could leave the Kitchen Musashi blocked the doorway with his cane. 'Let them come.' 'Have you lost your mind? They will take you!' 'I am ready to die with honour.' He said steadfastly. 'So be it.' Said a squeaky voice from behind the front door. 'Use the ram.' 'At once, sir!' four men dressed from head to toe in red ninja-like clothing carried a black column back across the road, about ten meters, and then bolted across through the door. 'Orders completed sir!' 'Find the cripple and bring him to me.' 'And what of the girl?' 'I have orders to take her alive.' The ninjas tore the apartment sized home apart. There was no hiding from them. Olga knew that. Despite Musashi's council she leapt over his cane and drew her sword. 'You searched for me. Here I am.' She leapt forth towards one of the invaders and swung her sword vertically, only to find that he was quicker than her blade. He poised himself atop her coffee table and there he and two other ninjas proceeded to whip her like a dog just after disarming her. Again and again they whipped her, and again and again her attempts at escaping were futile. The ninjas searched everywhere, the master bedroom, the kitchen, the storage room, the living room, the laundry room, even the bathroom, and no sign of Musashi. 'Sir, he isn't here.' 'Nonsense.' 'I know you are here Musashi. Show yourself. Or more accurately, what is left of yourself.' Still, Musashi refused to reveal himself from his many hiding spots, be it gripping on the ceiling, inside the cabinets, underneath the sink cabinet, the man was like a chameleon, or an assassin, hiding in plain sight. 'I know your tricks you old fool. Men! Prepare the ventilators!' Musashi now knew his fate was sealed. He knew that once the invaders wore the ventilator gas masks they would flood the room with acidic poisons that disintegrate any furniture or coverings, and almost kill a man. 'Enough!' Cried a wobbling old man 'I am blind, but still I can see clearly that you are still dark hearted and a fool, Yuanzhang.' 'That's Lord Yuanzhang to you. Seize him.' Musashi stood stiff as he was chained. 'Carry him out to the Beetle Droid.' 'Without Delay, Your Excellency.' The girl was whipped through the door, while the man was honourably carried through. 'Are you going to kill me?' Asked Musashi. 'Kill you!? Of course not. I am going to forgive you.' 'Forgive me?' 'Yes, yes, come come, we shall discuss terms in my office.' 'What of me?' Asked the girl, but before she could be answered she was whipped thrice and kicked in the jaw my Lord Yuanzhang. The sand was reddened, and her tooth count diminished. 'Take her to the dungeons.' 'At once, Sir!' Said one of the ninjas as he whipped her along with his companions Lord Yuanzhang boarded a luxury vehicle that flew over the rest of the town, while the ninjas threw Olga into a truck where two men volunteered to whip her all the way to the dungeons, while the other two acted as driver and passenger.

The tables were freshly waxed. The carpet was just cleaned. The walls shone with brightness. Then the front doors swung open and Lord Yuanzhang and Master Musashi walked into an office labelled 'Governor'. 'Sedella!' Cried Yuanzhang. 'Yes.' Said a clearly uneducated servant woman. 'Bring two cup tea.' 'Yes.' She said obediently. Lord Yuanzhang sat behind his large wooden desk behind a great glass window facing open sands. Musashi sat in a smaller chair in front of the desk.

'What do you wish of me?' Said Musashi, struggling to drink his tea.

'I want you allegiance.' Said Yuanzhang, slurping his tea to let the blinded Musashi know that the tea is in fact not poisoned.

'After what you've done the people of this land shall never go back to bowing to Aku. They will never feel such 'shame' as they put it. They will look to your order for guidance and deliverance from Aku.'

'My order is dead. You made sure of it.'

'I made sure of its weakness, not its destruction. If I wanted it destroyed, I would have taken more than your balls.' He said calmly while chomping on some biscuits.

Musashi remained silent.

'You are checkmated Musashi. Agree now or you will be forced to concur.'

'Kill me. I do not fear death.'

'I know you don't. But Olga does.'

Musashi stood up angrily.

'How dare you!'

'Calm yourself Musashi, we have a mutual interest.'

'How can I calm myself when you threaten my loved ones and beg for my slavery? This is blackmail! This is dishonourable!'

'There is no place for honour in politics, Musashi.'

Musashi remained standing, almost ready to bolt out had it not been for the armed guards behind him that no one but himself knew he knew of.

'Please, sit.'

Musashi forced himself down, annoyed at his situation.

'What possible interest would a man of honour have with snake such as yourself!?'

'You want the restoration of your order, yes.'

Musashi's blind eyes lit up.

'More than anything.'

'I have always been fond of the Bushido. Conservative. Traditional. Spiritual. You are a good people. It is shame that you have always been underfunded and... Well... Too rebellious for your own good.' He said pouring himself another cup of tea.

'Bushido serve no master!'

'One million Akki.'

'What form of beggar do you take me for?!' Musashi shouted.

'Per month.'

Musashi quieted down almost immediately.

The room filled with echoes of Yuanzhang's laughter. 'You are a wise man indeed Musashi! A wise man!' He said toasting Musashi with his cup of tea. 'Think of it. A fully renovated and improved temple. Thousands upon thousands of new recruits. A new arsenal. All at your fingertips.'

'In exchange I promote Aku? That will never work!'

'Oh no, on the contrary. You will rally the people against Aku. You will lead an ideological war against the state. You will proclaim a new clan, and you will be its daimyo!'

'Then where is your benefit?'

'You will conquer nearby provinces in the name of the code of the Samurai. You will lure the Samurai here. But you shall not expand westwards towards Aku city. This way you will be seen as a liberator of the people, not an ambitious terrorist, and our scheme shall work perfectly.'

'You mean to defeat Samurai Jack?! Surely you will fail!' Said a flabbergasted Musashi.

'Of course not!' Said a collected Yuanzhang. 'I mean to destroy him and collect the 10,000 Googolplex bounty on his head!'

'I will not betray my honour!'

'Then you will betray your home and its people... Including the girl.'

Musashi remained silent.

'I told you Musashi, I have the leverage. You are checkmated.'

Musashi's silence resumed as his heart grew quieter and his blood filled with contempt.

'So, have we come to an agreement?' Lord Yuanzhang said with his hand stretched out so obviously even a deaf man could hear its presence.'

With regret and no alternatives, Musashi shook his hand in agreement.

'Pour this man some of our finest whiskey! He has finally understood the science of politics! Cheers!'

The alcohol absolved Musashi's guilt as the men celebrated their newfound agreement.

Soon after Musashi went back to his temple, and proceeded to preach against Lord Yuanzhang, and Yuanzhang reacted as the populace expected. He placed security checkpoints to and from the temple, sent guards to the temple to ensure no rebellion would erupt, but unbeknownst to the public, Yuanzhang brought in people from neighbouring villages. Each day the number of adherents at the temple grew larger than the day prior. If yesterday there were twenty, today there will be forty. If today there are forty, then tomorrow they will be one hundred. Two months later, the broken temple accommodated four thousand adherents.

'The time is right' Yuanzhang declared to his servicemen. 'Issue order 646 OMEGA.'

'With haste, Sire.' On the night before the tenth, Musashi was sent the following message:

' _Execute order 646-Omega.'_

The next day Musashi stood before his adherents whose back blocked three streets beyond the broken walls of his temple.

' _MY FELLOW BUSHIDO!'_ Cried Musashi ' _DO YOU SEE WHAT THEY DID TO ME!? I HAVE LOST MY MANHOOD, MY SIGHT, AND MY ARM!'_

The adherents replied: 'WE DO NOT ACCEPT WHAT THEY DID TO YOU!'

' _MY KINSMEN! Accept what cannot change. But reject any injustice that can be justified!'_

 _'YES MASTER MUSASHI!'_

 _'MY COMPANIONS! SEE HOW I AM BROKEN, YET I STILL BEG FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE!? I AM THIS LAND, I AM ZHOU! AND ZHOU NEEDS ITS ARM BACK!'_

The adherents cheered echoed throughout the village, piquing the curiosity of all the townsfolk.

' _WHO WILL GIVE HER BACK HER ARM!?'_

 _'WE WILL!'_

 _'WHO WILL GIVE HER BACK HER SIGHT!?'_

 _'WE WILL!'_

 _'GO NOW MY CHILDREN! LIBERATE THIS LAND FROM ITS ABUSERS! SACK THE GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS! BRING THE OPPRESSORS TO JUSTICE!'_

The Bushido immediately ran towards the government buildings, and charged at them with all their might. Their slogan: 'VICTORY OR DEATH!'

The government guards were taken by surprise. Those who spoke of sports were met with the same surprise as those whose curiosity was piqued moments ago.

'IN THE NAME OF AKU WE COMMAND YOU TO STOP!' Ordered a Captain in vain.

'OPEN FIRE! OPEN FIRE!'

The guards manned the machine guns and gunned down the rebels, but there were too many. What was once 4,000 became 3,500 in an instant, but before their number could drop further the men were met with Bushido wielding spears, knives, and the occasional sword. No guard survived. Even those who surrendered were butchered like women in a European sacking after they were raped by a battalion or two. The rebels wasted no time in smashing through the doors with the sheer force of their weight. Not even the administrative employees were spared. Their kicking and screaming soon to be corpses were dragged out for public executions, but when the rebels broke into the executive wing and inspected the offices they, as expected, found no sign of Lord Yuanzhang. They assumed he had already fled, and even if he tried to return he would be cut down where he stood.

' _THIS LAND IS BUSHIDO!'_ Cried out a rebel causing his companions to roar in celebration!

Musashi could not bear to be amongst them. He only looked from afar as his heart sank in his deepening pockets. It broke when he saw the last secretary begging for his life at the tip of Olga's sword. 'NO MERCY!' She cried as she cut off his head. 'BUSHIDO!' She cried as her fellow rebels hailed her as a hero. But soon his heart reattached itself. The cement of gold ensured that it would do so.

The months turned to years, and the Land of Bushido grew and expanded under the slogan of 'Death to Aku!' 'Glory be to Bushido!' As the land expanded northwards and southwards and eastwards, Musashi's bank account grew exponentially. He paid himself a salary of 25% of tax revenue, and 70% of the spoils of war. His job was essentially that of a spiritual military leader, spreading the culture of Bushido throughout the lands he conquered, and inspiring recruits to continue the fight for more lands. But all the politics was dealt with on Lord Yuanzhang's end. He paid 75% to Aku, and kept what remained for himself. He assigned targets, with Aku's approval to Musashi. He regulated Musashi's actions and basically kept Musashi in check. For this service, Aku paid him quite handsomely. The land, although flew a different flag, and preached different ideas, was essentially a vassal of Aku's sprawling dominion. A blatant lie, albeit a profitable one. But like all lies, it grew, and grew, until the moral essence of Bushido was all but eradicated. There was poor maintenance of villages, there were brawls, raping of women in newly conquered cities, and conditions were just as bad as they were under Aku, but people didn't perceive it that way. They thought they were fighting for themselves, for a greater cause, and so they felt that the heathens they liberated were not worthy of liberation. It was essentially a complex of Romans, where Rome was better than the provinces of Rome. A simple case of mankind's arrogance, really. There was the façade of democracy where people could choose between two politicians to govern a province, when in reality both were on Musashi, and in turn Aku's, payroll. But so long as the people were fooled, the plan continued without a hitch. Years turned into decades, and the land of Bushido grew wider and taller, but never did it expand to the west, nor did the west expand into it under strict orders from Aku himself. Indeed everything was under control, public order reached record levels, as did public satisfaction. Those who were intelligent enough to correctly decipher the power scheme were discredited as 'conspiracy theorists.' Then, on the twenty first year after the establishment of the Land of Bushido, phase two was about to begin.


	3. Episode III: Command and Conquer

**Samurai Jack and the Land of Bushido**

 **Episode III: Command and Conquer**

A white mist filled the air. The air was damp, cold, and dry. It created some form of stiffness in the lungs of whomever thought of breathing it, as if one was being constricted by a giant serpent. The land was black and brown, with death and filth. The land was surrounded on either end, north and south, acting as a bridge across a great lake of poisonous waste. None dared tread across this path. Save one man. Whose journey had lead him thus far eastward. He wore a yellow straw hat. His left sleeve was torn, while his right hand was glued to his face while clutching the torn sleeve, allowing it to act as a makeshift filter for the stench. In the pocket inside his robe, his right front pocket, there was a map to a mystical land, one the likes of which this man was only elated to see. A land that merchants and tellers alike have convinced him is indeed a relic of the past. Where opposition to the overlord is commonplace, and practice of martial arts is compulsory. A land the samurai was enticed to see. As he walked through the swamp, he felt a feeling of nausea overcome him. Then a feeling of uneasiness, but regardless he continued his march. He only stopped two hours later, not to rest, but because of the absence of one feeling: solitude. His eyes peeled left and right, up and down. 'If you are here, show yourself.' There was no response. The samurai drew his blade 'I shall not ask again.' From within the dying leaves of the tree in front of the Samurai leapt a black hooded figure. The figure stayed a moment on all fours, like an ant eater in search of pray, before standing up again. The figure revealed from within its front pocket a digital poster. ' _Two Googolplex to the man who brings Aku Samurai Jack dead. Four Googolplex alive.'_ The poster was accompanied by four sketches of the samurai. Two facing forwards and sideways with his signature hat, and two facing forwards and sideways without. 'Samurai Jack?' asked a deep, robotic voice. Jack maintained his silence, analyzing the figure. He saw that it had a crossbow, a bow, a sword, and many shurikens. Combat with this foe would not be easy, assuming it is trained professionally in all four disciplines. 'I come from the land you seek. A land of ancient customs and decency.' Jack did not break his silence. 'Come, I will lead you there.' The figure stood aside 'This way.' Jack cautiously sheathed his sword and walked towards the figure, and indeed the figure drew him nearer and nearer to the Land of Bushido. Soon the dying trees turned to autumn trees, then oak trees, then apple trees, and finally when they came across a narrow wooden bridge, willow trees guarded either side of the bridge. The bridge was in fact several hundred meters above sea level. The river bellow was being supplied by the toxic waste that had along the way turned into salt water, and finally, drinking water in the form of a waterfall. From within the river towered great trees, the likes of which Jack has never seen before. They were round as a hippo at the base, yet skinnier than a nail at the very tip while their trunks were covered by leaves and vines greener than the grass they walked on. The figure finally stood before the bridge and declared 'I can go no further. You must continue alone.' Jack looked at him more calmly and asked 'Who are you?' 'I am the guardian of the Land of Bushido, new haven for the samurai, Guardians of honor, and opposes of oppression. My duty is to defend this land from the filth of the west and the enemies of the state they might send, may they be assassins, spies, or battalions.' 'You have my thanks, noble warrior.' Jack bowed to him in humility and respect. The figure placed his fist against his extended palm and kneeled before him. Jack then began walking across the bridge. The moment his left sandal made contact with the midpoint of the bridge Jack immediately turned around, his sword in his hand as he deflected thirteen shurikens. Jack raced over to the end of the bridge, the figure leapt from his position sideways, his feet facing Jack's face, and his hands preoccupied with delivering sixteen arrows in midair. Jack slashed away at the arrows before being tossing the figure away over his head. The figure recovered in midair, landing like a professionally trained assassin. Then, on either end of the bridge, stood two figures, each drawing their swords. Jack on one end, the guardian on the other. A duel was upon them. Each raced to the other to meet at the midpoint. Jack began with a sideways slash, the guardian blocked and countered with a kick to the gut, followed immediately by three shurikens that scarred Jack's left shoulder. The figure then tried to capitalize with a blow to the head, But Jack counter attacked by first blocking his blade and then delivering his blade along the guardian's right arm, not severing it, but rather damaging it. Oil spilled across the bridge. Jack was on the offensive as he released a flurry of attacks from every side and angle, the guardian could barely keep up with Jack's pace, though he managed to block all of his attacks. Jack leapt in the air in an attempt to deliver a final blow, but instead flopped down through the bridge. A bullet from the east found its way into Jack's ribcage, then electrocuted his entire body with 18 miliamperes and 140Volts for three seconds. These seconds left the samurai dazed, confused, and fried. Had it not been for the Guardian rescuing him, Jack would have surely plummeted to his death. The Guardian then dragged the unconscious Jack into the land of Bushido, while the mysterious gunman made his escape.

Three days passed before Jack regained consciousness. His eyes would barely lift. His robe was still intact save for the tears on his left shoulder whose scars had dulled, as was his blade and hair. When he finally mustered up the strength he sat up immediately and asked 'WHERE AM I!?' He saw a group of monks reciting prayers around him, healers working tirelessly to keep him from suffering the pain, and to his right he found the bullet that was once wreaking havoc within him. In the place of the bullet he found fourteen stitches. 'Do not worry, Samurai, we shall begin work on fixing your robe the moment the stitches are healed.' 'Who are you? What is this place?' Jack asked frantically. 'Fear not, rest. You are safe here. I am Master Musashi, Lord of the Land of Bushido.' Jack grasped his wounds and rolled off of the table. 'You should not walk so soon.' 'I will be fine, thank you.' Said the Samurai approaching Musashi.

'We here at Bushido, are unlike the lands you have crossed in the past. We actively support your struggle against Aku and his villainous deeds.'

'Did Aku rob you of your home?' asked Jack

'And my sight and arm.'

'Aku's evil will be undone.'

'I am afraid that is impossible.' Musashi rebutted.

'What!?'

'I have studied long and hard of the mysteries and abilities of time travel. It is simply impossible. If it were possible then I would have returned to a time where my kind were better off, your time as a matter of fact.'

'Impossible! I came to this wretched time from my own time, so how is it impossible?'

'Travelling to the future is one thing, the past is something entirely different.'

'No! There must be a way!'

'I am afraid not Samurai. In lieu of this impossibility I have dedicated my life to recreating that age long past. Behold! Bushido!'

Musashi pushed open the heavy doors to the Grand Temple and revealed from within the spiritual heavens, from in front of the fountain, a great and glorious city where it is as if time stood still. The roads were made of brick, the vehicles were absent and in their places stood horses, guns were replaced by swords, black Aku shaped buildings were replaced by grand Japanese feudal architecture. Jack looked at it and was instantly reminded of his time. 'My… Home.' He wept.

'Welcome, Samurai.'

'How have you created such a place?'

'With noble men such as those who gather before you now.'

Several Bushido came and humbly bowed before Jack. They looked to him for guidance and strength. Jack reciprocated the gesture as they walked past to begin their training.

'Please, take up residence in my home, that we may live is neighbors in another time.'

'I am afraid I cannot. If I am unable to return to my time and undo Aku's evil, then I must remain in this time and end Aku's tyranny.'

'A noble quest, one that you and I share, in fact.'

Musashi lead Jack to the tea gardens of the temple

'Tell me, Jack.' Said Musashi as he walked through the gardens and sat at one of the tables 'How long have you pursued your quest to return to your own time?'

'Too long' Jack sighed

'And how far have you come?'

'Not far enough.'

'I built this city and its surrounding villages in twenty years!'

'Twenty years!?'

'Indeed. A short time for a civilization to flourish. Think how far we can progress this great nation together, think how close we will come to destroying Aku together!'

'Yes…' Jack though aloud as he drank his green tea 'I will help.'

'Excellent! You shall take up residence at the temple dojo. Come! We have much to discuss!' said Musashi as he nearly fell through his cane after gulping his boiling hot tea in enthusiasm.

Jack and Musashi speed walked towards the dojo

'Your prowess as a warrior is not questioned, Jack. Despite your failure to defeat the guardian.'

'Your guardian is well equipped. Never before have I been struck with such force from a droid.'

'Only the best is suited to protect our land.'

Jack nodded in agreement, and skepticism.

'Jack…. I have always wished that should I meet you… I have always wished that you would… fight for us.'

'Fight? Fight who?'

'Bushido is surrounded my enemies. We must expand, and crush the loyalists if we should survive.'

'I see.'

'Please.' Musashi said opening the straw door to the dojo after climbing six flights of wooden stairs without breaking a single sweat. 'Be at home.' He said pointing to forty seven men.

'Who are these?!' Jack asked in reference to the mithril wielding, disciplined, bushido standing before him.

'These are our finest recruits. Now we want our finest man to take charge of them.'

The recruits all bowed to him at once.

'What shall I do with them!?'

'Spread righteousness in the heart of evil, and destroy Aku's influence wherever it may be observed.'

'Very well, I will take charge of these men.'

The men erected themselves, readied themselves for combat and released a coordinated cry of 'HUAH!'

'Excellent! Excellent news! I cannot wait to send you on your first mission.'

'Sommo' said Jack bowing to Musashi

'Dom' replied Musashi bowing to Jack, almost shedding a tear.

Musashi shut the straw door behind him and immediately training began. Jack trained the men just as he was trained. First he trained them in wrestling, teaching them new moves each day and having each man practice against a partner until they have each mastered the moves. Some mastered them before others, but they could not stop until everyone else mastered it too, providing an incentive for attention and seriousness, and also honing the skills of those who were quick to learn. Once wrestling training was completed, weapon training was undertaken. First they practiced with bamboo sticks, just as Jack was taught in Africa. This honed their reflexes and their perception. The same laws applied to this as wrestling. Then they learned astronomy for navigational purposes, then they were taught sailing, archery, and finally expert level martial arts. Once all of this was mastered, which took about two years Jack began the most important lesson:

 _"_ _So, boy. You wish to serve me?"_ _Silhouetted against the blue-black sky, the horse-mounted samurai with the horned helmet towered over me like a demon as I knelt in the dirt before him. I could not see his face but there was no mistaking the authority in his growling tone, nor the hint of mockery in his question._ _I tried to speak and managed only a faint croak. My mouth had gone dry, as parched as a man dying of thirst. But I had to respond. My fate-and though I didn't know it then, the fate of all Bushido-rested on my answer._ _Raising my head just enough to brave a glance at the demonic figure, I saw him staring at me, like a hawk poised to seize a mouse in its talons._ _When I managed to speak, my voice was clear and steady, and I drew courage with each syllable, for I am a Samurai and I shall be just.'_

 _The boys repeated: 'I am a samurai and I shall be Just_

' _I am a samurai and I shall be courageous.'_

' _I am a samurai and I shall be courageous.'_

' _I am a samurai and I shall be merciful.'_

 _'_ _I am a samurai and I shall be merciful.'_

 _'_ _I am a samurai and I shall be polite.'_

 _'_ _I am a samurai and I shall be polite.'_

 _'_ _I am a samurai and I shall be honest.'_

 _'_ _I am a samurai and I shall be honest.'_

 _'_ _I am a samurai and I shall act honorably.'_

 _'_ _I am a samurai and I shall act honorably.'_

' _I am a samurai and I shall be loyal to my land, people, and master.'_

 _'_ _I am a samurai and I shall be loyal to my land, people, and master'_ the boys concluded.

'Now I have taught you the code of Bushido. May it guide you, Samurai.' Said Jack as he inducted the boys into his ranks. They bowed before their master and made their way outside. It was a moment of absolute pride for the samurais. They felt honored for their work, tirelessness, and accomplishments. But this moment was short lived as Musashi ran as fast as he could bearing a cane towards Jack.

'I see you have made men out of the boys.'

'Yes.'

'Do you believe in their ability?'

'Else I would have not recognized them as samurai.'

'Good. Your first assignment is tomorrow.'

'Where?'

'A province northeast of here has proven troublesome. A group of heretics have desecrated the temple by speaking of returning into Aku's fold. Go there, find the traitors, and bring them to justice. Do not let the good, loyal, Bushido in these lands face the villainy of Aku again.'

'We shall move at first light.'

'Excellent.'

Jack informed his comrades as Musashi sent word to Yuanzhang

'It is done.'

'Good' replied a hologram of Yuanzhang from within Musashi's soundproof, locked, quarters.

'Soon the thorn at Aku's side will be removed, and we shall have… peace.' He continued

'Yes, My lord.' Said a remorseful Musashi, without showing it.

The call was then terminated, and Musashi went back to his tea, attempting to drown his sorrow and regrets.

Light came and the samurai were assembled before their tents. Jack spoke before the march

'Samurai!' They stood at attention 'Today we shall march northeastwards to a province graced by the gift of Bushido. Our brothers' and sisters' homes. They are threatened by fools wishing to bring back Aku's terror. We must quell the shadow before it pieces the light!' The men cheered delightfully, filling the air with the sound of a thousand fierce warriors with only 47 larynxes. 'Advance!'

The men marched behind Jack. Jack marched alongside three Samurai, three of the best in the group. There was Otomo, Yoshimiochi, and Lemitsu. Otomo was of slender figure and was tall. He had long white hair, and brown, almost red eyes. He wore the red robes of his family to battle. His family has a long heritage of warfare, even his blade is a family heirloom, one that has survived for thousands of generations. He was loyal, but steadfast, always believing himself to be in the right while others are in the wrong. Yoshimochi was short, and fat, and so he wielded a weapon that removed his opponent's height advantage, a maul. He would use the maul to break the legs or ribs of the enemy, leaving the vulnerable for his comrades to kill. This maul was especially effective against droids. Yoshimochi comes from nothing. His father was a drunken beggar and his mother was a prostitute. Against all odds, he has become one of the greatest samurai leading an expedition to liberate a province from Aku's looming grasp. Finally there was Lemitsu. Lemitsu, like Otomo, was tall, but he was muscular. He was handsome. All the girls wanted him, but he had his sights fixated on one woman. Olga. He saw her to be the climax of all beauty. But she barely noticed him. He vowed to himself that he would constantly improve himself until she took note, and then he would bed her regardless of her marital status, much to the contrary to the Bushido code, a code he believed he had to uphold publically not privately. Publically he was the greatest samurai in the town, almost as good as Jack himself. All he had to do was prove himself in battle. He was younger, more experienced in futuristic technology, and adapted a particular style of combat that always seemed to catch opponents off guard. Like Otomo, he came from a great clan, his grandfathers claimed to be Shoguns of Japan, under the patronage of Aku of course but that fact was always concealed. His blade was made of ancient mithril, of the same metal that Jack's sword was made of. The only difference between his sword and the swords of his companions, save Jack, is that his sword is sharper and more durable and has a greater probability of actually harming Aku. All Mithril swords, unlike other blades, have a probability of hurting Aku. His blade has a higher probability of harming Aku than his companions' Jack's sword, having been divinely blessed had a 1/1 probability to cut the demon down. The rest of the samurai were worthy of the rank, but not outstanding enough to be discussed.

By midday the samurai had reached a plateau. They gathered atop it and looked through their binoculars where they saw a group of men heading towards the local Bushido temple. They had Molotov cocktails and it was clear that they would do harm to it. Jack had a plan, but a few poorly disciplined, eager, Samurai charged forward, having been so deeply offended by this blatant disrespect for Bushido. Ironically, the very act of charging without orders is contradictory to Bushido. In the heat of the moment, Jack led the charge. Little did they know that the men expected this, and rigged their buildings as traps for the invading Bushido. The 47 first ran past a tower. At an armored man's signal, the base of the tower was detonated, and the tower came crumbling down claiming the lives of seven of the 47 and wounding three others. The three continued, but at a slower pace than the rest. 'It is a trap!' Jack though in his mind. 'Diverge! Spread out!' Jack commanded and so the samurai spread out and cut down any one wearing the black armor of Aku. Jack was accompanied by Otomo, Yoshimochi, and Lemitsu. Knowing the gravity of this penetration team, the leader of the Aku Loyalists sent thirty six droids alone to deal with these four. Jack and his men ran straight towards the city Centre, opposite them came the thirty six droids. These droids were clearly recycled, not supported by the full power of Aku. They can be dealt with easily. Jack was more worried about the bombs. 'There must be a way to diffuse the bombs before-KABOOM!' Jack train of thought was interrupted by a loud explosion that shoved him and flung him across the village finally slamming him against a tower, forcing his body to slide down, and emitting sparks everywhere. Jack knelt at the foot of the tower before getting up. Once he opened his eyes he realized that his ponytail was loosened. The primary tie was still there, but from it came several diversions in its shape. Two collections of hairs began and ended with the primary knot, a third existed below the primary not, but below that were three strands completely undone, and from the hair that lead to the knot were several collections of hairs that stretched across his face until below his chin. This disorganization did not please Jack. To make matters worse, a great tear tore across his right sleeve until just above his left hip. Not wanting to deal with such disorganization and annoyances, Jack tore off his torso and prepared his blade, not thinking for one instant about the many lives that were lost in that massive explosion. Thirty of the thirty six now came towards Jack. These droids were mummified in the face and had six arms wielding scimitars. Jack faced them before, and knew precisely how to deal with them. First, four droids slashed at him simultaneously, but jack avoided each of them and countered their attack with a 360 attack that severed their limbs that were bolted to the scimitars. Now they each had five limbs, save the rest who had still their sixth limbs. While those retracted their incomplete limbs another five attacked him, this time he jumped behind them and cut down three of them in half. Behind him, a droid sought to take advantage of his negligence by slicing him in two with all six arms. Jack instead stabbed it through the torso from his left side without even turning around. Then the four that attacked him first sough to gain vengeance against him by slashing him where he stood. Instead, as their bladed came down he flew up and severed each of their heads in one swift stroke. That left twenty two droids encircling him. Then five droids decided to attack his midsection at once, while another three sought to attack his head. To counter these, Jack decided to jump high enough that his head would be safe, and then bent his knees to backflip away from them. While the three droids that sought to attack his head were retracting their blades he made short work of them. The other five, not wanting to waste any time each charged at him from different directions. Jack jumped westwards and kicked two of the five in midair, causing them to fall where he stood, thus causing the remaining three to destroy their fellow droids. Seventeen remained. All the while explosions rang all across the city, but these did not phase Jack. The task at hand was the task at hand, and nothing would distract him, not even mortal danger, or the presence of death itself. Two of the seventeen did something Jack did not expect, they launched aerial attacks by bolting into the air and throwing four of their six swords at him. Jack kicked each of these away. Two hit one droid destroying it, One hit another destroying it as well, another one hit two droids destroying them both, another sword sliced a droid in half, another hit a droid sideways in the head, two more hit two other droids in the torso damaging them beyond repair sending them each into a shutdown state. As for the two airborne droids whose descent had already begun due to their limited fuel capacity Jack sliced one bottom-up in half, and the other top-down as they both landed destroying them immediately and swiftly. Seven droids were left. Jack looked at them each menacingly and they both simultaneously fled scene. Due to poor programming, the droids fled in a single line, so Jack simply thrust his sword and threw it forward, and like a hungry man's fork it took them all down. With pride Jack walked over to the droids corpses and reclaimed his sword in triumph once again. As he marched back the field of battle he sliced the two shutdown droids in half without breaking eye contact with the Aku Loyalist's general who had exhausted both his men and his bombs supply. The general came down to face Jack. The two men shared the same sand that the general's droids called their graves. They stared each other down analytically. The general's skin was pale, his beard was orange, his eyes were completely blue, and his armor was spiked white and colored black. Before combat could ensue however, the general threw his weapon down and sobbed, begging for mercy.

'Mercy! Mercy!' he cried

'Go now. And never terrorize any person again.' Jack said mercifully

'The general looked at Jack, baffled, Th-th-thank you!' he sobbed as he escaped the town.

Jack looked around only to see smoke and ash. He stood at the top of the hill and raised his flag and patiently waited for him men to regroup with him. Hours passed but only twenty of the forty seven came. Along with the twenty came twenty seven heirlooms.

'For the martyrs.' Said a samurai carrying one of the heirlooms

'For the martyrs'. Repeated Jack mournfully.

This happened twenty seven times. Jack marched back to Bushido with a triumphant, yet heavy, heart.

The next day, Jack's army were greeted as heroes. Rice was thrown, flowers were lain, music was played, but Jack cared not for these. His fellow samurai greeted their families and loved ones, but Jack immediately went to Musashi.

'I see you are victorious.' Said the blind man behind his black desk

'But at great cost.'

'Sacrifice is necessary in war.'

'I could have gone by myself, the loss of life was unnecessary!'

'I would give thrice these numbers to see you unhurt, Jack. You are valuable to me. It hurts me to see even your clothes undone. Sedella! Bring Jack new clothes!'

Sedella immediately dressed Jack in an exact replica of his robe.

'Thank you.' Jack said. She blushed. She had never been thanked before, especially not by a man of Jack's status.

'You have done well Samurai. Now rest. You have earned it.'

Jack silently walked back to the Dojo. No classes were taught that day.

Meanwhile Musashi received a call behind closed doors.

'It is done, my lord.'

'Yoshimuchi and Otomo are dead?'

'Yes.' Lemitsu confirmed.

'Excellent. My superiors will be pleased.'

'When shall it be time?'

'You decide when you feel most confident.'

'Then I will bring you Samurai Jack's head by the end of this week.'


End file.
